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A new schooner was added to Gloucester’s growing fleet. The schooner was launched today at 11am from the Rocky Neck Marine Railways.Strombus, built by Geoff Deckebach, with help from his wife Mandy, was twelve years in the making. They began gutting and restoring the boat all those many years ago when work and raising a family slowed progress. About a year ago, Geoff decided to turn his full attention to the restoration. The schooner is simply beautiful. More work will continue on the interior and it will be ready enough to motor along in this year’s upcoming Schooner Festival.

Friends, family, and well-wishers stopped by for the Schooner Stombus launching. The official launch party is Sunday.

More than 40 Tall Ships will be sailing Canadian waters to honour the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation in 2017. They are scheduled to stop at host ports in Ontario, Québec and the Maritimes, giving thousands of people the opportunity to admire the majestic beauty of these cathedrals of the seas.

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In the next day or so, the Schooner Adventure will be leaving the Jodrey State Fish Pier and returning to her home at Maritime Gloucester! Look for the Adventure making her way across the Harbor.

As Captain Stefan Edick is assuming more responsibilities in his executive director role, Captain Willy Leathers (above) will be commanding the Schooner. An absolutely fantastic season of education, adventure, and sailing events is scheduled for 2017. Visit the Schooner Adventure website here for more information.Last days at the Jodrey for the Adventure!

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You may recall that the Tall Ship Lynx was docked in Gloucester at the Rocky Neck Marine Railways last October. She is going to be participating in the 2017 Gloucester Schooner Festival. I came across this story and thinking about Alicia’s weekly adopt a shelter pet column and knowing of the “smart black cats of Cape Ann” (of which we are the proud owners of one such cat) I thought readers would enjoy this sweet story.

BY ARIN GREENWOOD

TODAY

Not long ago, Leeloo the kitten was a stray, rescued off the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. In December, she was adopted by the captain of a tall ship.

Now she’s living a life of adventure and love as the cutest little first mate, on the Tall Ship Lynx.

Alex Peacock, who’s been around boats his whole life, became the Lynx’s permanent captain this past winter.

Most days aboard this replica of a privateer used in the War of 1812 are spent voyaging — from its summer base in Nantucket, Massachusetts, to its winter home in St. Petersburg, Florida, to far-flung destinations including Hawaii, Mexico and other beautiful places — with the crew talking to history lovers, or engaged in some other kind of interesting and challenging pursuit.

Shortly after landing the choice gig, Peacock decided to head to a local animal shelter to fulfill what the 28-year-old says is a tall ship tradition.

“It seemed like the right time to get a buddy,” he told TODAY while sitting on the floor and feeding Leeloo some of her favorite treats (Greenies, for those who like such details).

Peacock and a few crew members headed over to Friends of Strays, a nonprofit shelter in St. Petersburg. That’s where they met Leeloo.

Leeloo was at the shelter, waiting to be adopted, because she’d had the good fortune to be found wandering loose in the vicinity of Friends of Strays community relations manager Clair Wray.

Help us connect children and adults to Gloucester’s maritime culture. Schooner Adventure is a unique platform designed to engage through hands-on experiences, providing lasting lessons and an appreciation of our shared maritime heritage. Donate Here

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Help us connect children and adults to Gloucester’s maritime culture. Schooner Adventure is a unique platform designed to engage through hands-on experiences, providing lasting lessons and an appreciation of our shared maritime heritage.

In honor of #GivingTuesday, the Gates Foundation will match up to $500,000 in donations to fundraisers today. Facebook is waiving all fees.

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During Sunday’s podcast we talked about Harold Burnham’s book The Shipwright and the Schooner and mentioned the book signing at Strawberry Banke on November 12th. On Thursday evening, November 17th, Harold will be giving a talk and book signing at Maritime Gloucester (with spirits tasting provided by Ryan & Wood).

From the publisher:

The Shipwright and the Schooner

Building a Windjammer in the New England Tradition

By DAN TOBYNE – HAROLD BURNHAM

Beginning in 2010, Essex, Massachusetts shipbuilder Harold Burnham took on the challenge of constructing a wooden sailing vessel using traditional techniques. He cut the trees himself from his woodlot, and milled them himself at his boatyard. Using volunteer labor from hundreds of friends, acquaintances, and community members, and recycled and repurposed materials he constructed, in just under a year, the schooner Ardelle at a cost of less than $20,000.

The Shipwriight and the Schooner is an exploration into traditional New England shipbuilding, and it is a journey of discovery for both the author, who has spent his life building wooden boats, and the photographer, who had his first experiences in the boatyard. The book chronicles in words and stunning color photographs the construction, launch, and subsequent season of sailing aboard the Ardelle. The vessel is a testament to community involvement and a badge of honor in the age of mass production. It is a reminder of simpler times, when things were meticulously crafted by hand, and of a lifeway that has mostly vanished.

The Shipwright and the Schooner is published by Rowman and Littlefield and is available to purchase at Maritme Gloucester.

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Exciting news–the Schooner Lynx will be returning to Gloucester next year for the Schooner fest! The captain of the Lynx, Donald Peacock, wrote the following, “Thank you for noticing Lynx in your harbor. Gloucester Marine Railways have been most hospitable and we look forward to returning for Lynx 2017 yard period and the 2017 Gloucester Schooner Race and Festival.”

A magnificent ship under sail, she was a joy to watch and to photograph as she moved through the Harbor, setting course for Saint Petersburg, Florida, via Portland, Maine. You can see in the last photo that by the time she was passing Brace Cove she was under full sail with her square sail hoisted too. Safetravels Schooner Lynx and crew!

At the Railways this morning with crew members Casey and Hunter

Passing Ten Pound Island -note how much taller the Schooner is to the Lighthouse

Along the backshore with Boston in the distance

Brace Cove

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Perhaps you’ve noticed the towering masts and proportionately large flag of the ship currently docked at Rocky Neck Marine Railways. They caught my attention this morning when at the Fish Pier taking photos as the masts are almost as tall as those of the Schooner Columbia. The flag and masts belong to the tall ship Lynx, a privateer inspired by the original tall ship that battled the British during the War of 1812. That war ship was named the Privateer Lynx.

The Lynx is a square topsail schooner. Her port of registry is Portsmouth, New Hampshire and her homeports are Nantucket during warmer months and Saint Petersburg, Florida during wintertime. She is on her way to Portland and is scheduled to depart Gloucester on Monday. The Lynx is an educational organization devoted to hands-on programs that teach the history of America’s struggle to preserve its independence during the War of 1812. You can read more about the ship on the Lynx website here.

Hunter, the Lynx’s cook (left) and Jonathan, from the Liberty Star. The Liberty Star is undergoing some repairs at the Railways, on her way to the Virgin Islands for the winter.

The fifteen stars and stripes flag flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and is the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the “Star Spangled Banner.”

This was the only U.S. flag to have fifteen stripes. Two stripes and two stars were added for Vermont and Kentucky when they became states. Congress had a change of heart and in 1818, proclaimed that one star for each new state would be added on the 4th of July following the state’s admission to the union and there would be thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.

Photos of the Lynx under sail courtesy Google image search

The Harbor this morning at daybreak, with the Lynx on the far left, docked at the Marine RailwaysLiberty Star at the Railways

From wiki – A privateer was a private person or ship that engaged in maritime warfare under a commission of war. The commission, also known as a letter of marque, empowered the person to carry on all forms of hostility permissible at sea by the usages of war, including attacking foreign vessels during wartime and taking them as prizes. Captured ships were subject to condemnation and sale under prize law, with the proceeds divided between the privateer sponsors, shipowners, captains and crew. A percentage share usually went to the issuer of the commission. Since robbery under arms was common to seaborne trade, all merchant ships were already armed. During war, naval resources were auxiliary to operations on land so privateering was a way of subsidizing state power by mobilizing armed ships and sailors.

Highlights from Gloucester’s magnificent Schooner Festival, including the schooner welcome, Parade of Sail, the schooner race from a rocky cliff outpost, awards ceremony where Fly Amero and Daisy Nell honor Kay with a song, Daisy tells a funny joke, Adventure Captain Stefan Edick wins a special award, fireworks from Stage Fort Park, and more. The film opens with scenes of Cape Ann schooners, participating schooners, and Gloucester fishing boats, shot all around Gloucester Harbor during the weekend of the festival.

With special thanks to Al Bezanson, Daisy Nell, and Schooner Welcome Committee members Brett Ramsey, Max Ramsey, and Nick Ramsey.

The Gloucester Schooner Festival is held each year over Labor Day weekend and organized by Maritime Gloucester and the Gloucester Schooner Festival Committee. The Schooner Festival celebrates the role the fishing schooner has played in the maritime heritage of the east coast, especially Cape Ann.

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Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)